Real Simple Mama

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Review: Baby Trend 2 High Chair

It has taken me too long to write a review for our Old Faithful, the high chair we’ve had for over three years. Our Baby Trend 2 High Chair is on Kid #2 right now and still going strong. It’s been an unexpected, unconventional focal point in our little home and I appreciate it very much. So I owe it its own review. (Ignore the over-personification of things, it’s a side effect of Chronic Mom Brain.) Continue reading

If I Ever Have Another Baby

I must confess, I want more kids. I’ve always wanted more than two (which is what I have now). But we are at a crossroads, our little family: is another child right for us? Right now my husband and I don’t agree; he’s set on the two we have and being done with it. I, however, have other dreams. I often think of the possibility… if I ever have another baby… what would I want my experience to be like?

One thing this dialogue has made me realize is that if I ever get the chance to have another child, I am not taking a single thing for granted. I know the experience I want to have, both for my baby and for myself. If I ever have another baby, these are my plans and my promises to my future child. Continue reading

Happy Mother’s Day!

From one friggin tired, friggin happy mother to another, I wish you a Happy Mother’s Day! May your special day be filled with ample time to poop alone, a hot shower where you can shave your armpits and your legs, clean kitchens and kids who love everything you do and say!

And as you sip your fresh, hot cup of coffee (or wine, whatever), be sure to check out my posts in the Just for Mom category. I’ve got funny and serious posts for all the mothers out there, to help you take care of yourself and remember that you’re never alone. Even when you’re going number two.

Happy Mother's Day! - Real Simple Mama

What It’s Like to Be Married to a Stay-At-Home Mom: The Working Dad’s Perspective

I haven’t always been a stay-at-home mom, or SAHM. When I was pregnant with my first child, all the way until he was two years old, I was a working mom. I did the whole pumping/daycare/packing food/cry at dropoff thing, and I hated it. So when we got pregnant with our second child, I knew I had to make a huge adjustment.

While my husband and I were always in agreement that I should stay at home with the babies, we didn’t really know anyone (except his mom, thirty years ago) who had done it. And it was certainly a transition for our house and our marriage.

That’s why I thought to sit my husband down (after asking nicely, of course) and pick his weary brain. Now he’s the sole breadwinner for our little home, and he’s married to a SAHM. So what’s it really like… from the dad’s perspective? Continue reading

The Best Gifts for A Selfless Mom

A mom can be the hardest person to shop for: they typically never ask for anything for themselves, and you’d feel like a jerk if you just gave them a new vacuum or blender. But the fact remains that you should get them something for occasions like Mother’s Day, their birthday, and Christmas. So what’s a well-meaning person to do when they need a gift for mom? Hence my list of the best gifts for a selfless mom. These items are frugal, useful, and promote self-care in even the humblest of mothers. Because even if she doesn’t say it, she doesn’t really want a dish scrubber for her birthday. Continue reading

Breast Milk Jewelry: A Meaningful Gift for a Nursing Mom

Any breastfeeding mom can tell you that their journey nursing their child is full of ups and downs, tears and smiles, chaos and calm. I’ve recently learned about breast milk jewelry: a meaningful gift for a nursing mom. The pieces are beautiful and I had to find out more! So I spoke to Kellie who owns Milk Vine Jewelry and makes this beautiful, personalized jewelry for moms all over the world. Continue reading

Three Mantras for the Tired Parent

Part of being a parent is just admitting that you’re tired. Perpetually, everlastingly tired. You can be tired and completely content at the same time, of course, but oftentimes that’s not the case. We are mentally and physically exhausted. Add in a toddler meltdown or a diaper blowout, and suddenly you feel like you have been pushed over the edge.

It’s no secret that I’m a big supporter of attachment parenting, but that’s not really what this article is about. Rather than talking about what to say to your kid, or how to act, I’m asking you to look inward. Freeze for a split second and get a sense of perspective. And say a mantra to yourself.

Here are three mantras for tired parents: connect with them, memorize them, use them, and breathe. Continue reading

The Four Biggest Things You Need to Know If You Want to Succeed at Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is amazing. I mean, it’s time consuming as hell, can hurt like hell, and gives you paranoia like hell. But other than all that, breastfeeding really is incredible! It’s one of the proudest achievements of my entire life, and I don’t regret a moment of my four-plus years of nursing my kids.

My first go around with nursing, I felt prepared. I took the class, read the books, and had boobs. Baby and I will be fine!, I thought. After all, breastfeeding is natural.

Now that I’ve been nursing for almost four years, I see what I wish I had known. So, to help out all of the other lactating mamas out there, I’ve built the list of the four biggest things you need to know if you want to succeed at breastfeeding. Continue reading

The Best Kind of Mom

I think that all parents have a vision of the best version of themselves. We want to do it all, and no matter what our lives look like, we find faults. I know that I did; that is, until I clearly defined what the best kind of mom really is… at least to me.

As a mother, I would often riddle my tired brain with “If I were a better mom, I would…” I had a perfect mother on a pedestal in my mind, and I constantly compared myself to her.

But not anymore. Continue reading

Great Music to Listen to With Your Kids… in Every Genre!

I love playing music for my kids! We almost always have some type of music playing in our home and in the car. As a music educator, it’s a passion of mine that my children hear great music from all genres on a regular basis. I truly feel that we are putting our kids at a disadvantage if we limit what they listen to: while kids’ music is just fine, it leaves out so much great repertoire!

So I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite artists by genre, so that you can look into them with your own family. You can tie in various genres to the recipes you’re cooking, books you’re reading, places you’re going… the possibilities are endless! Continue reading

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